Shattered Ones
by R.M.Taluth
Summary: AU  In which Hades has defeated Team Natsu, destroyed Fairy Tail and taken over Fiore. Where Lucy is thought to be KIA and Natsu is a prisoner in one of Hades fortresses. "Let me tell you what happened. And about him. The one I left behind…" Dark Themes


**As promised this is a one shot. Can't believe I thought this up. Or how long it has gotten- it was suppose to be a small thing then it just exploded when I read 246. Anyway, basically this is just_ conjecture_ and _made up_. I have no idea what will happen in chapter 247 so NO yelling or bashing. I've tried to keep everyone in character but it's hard! You would never think that something like this would happen to these beloved characters. Poor Natsu... I depressed myself when writing this. I'm not too happy with some of it, I think at one point I got annoyed with getting them into character... **

**Check out Everytime by Britney Spears. I'm not a complete fan of hers but it fit so well with either Natsu or Lucy's point of view when they see each other again. And Shattered by Trading Yesterday which inspired the title and the ending . I swear that song fits for everything and every couple and always leaves me curled up in a corner somewhere.**

**Thanks to and Tazumi Hanako for looking over this and correcting it! Seriously, you both were awesome and the feedback was great. I just hope the rest of the readers like it.**

**REVIEW! Or else I send Happy after you, he is one evil, devious little crazy cat! And adorable to boot.**

If you're reading this… then that means we lost. We… lost… in our fight against Hades.

… I still can't believe it sometimes. We were so confident–

The Abyss of Magic…

And now he stands as a horrible Tyrant over Fiore. He still searches for Zeref but he's completely vanished I hear… I wouldn't know.

Let me tell you what happened. And about him. The one I left behind… the one I left to hide in Fiore and spy for the Rebellion. I was stupid to go on my own… 'cause it was only a matter of time until they found me…maybe… but you see… everyone thinks…

Everyone thinks that I'm dead.

That would have thrown them off the scent. At least, I hoped it would.

And not a day went by when I didn't think about it. Everyday, as I continued to walk this earth, the people I love thought of me as dead.

I often wondered, when I lay awake in a dusty shed in a far off land, what did he feel? He–we lost so much that day. Three months ago… we were brutally beaten. Hades was just too...too ruthless and sadistic.

Erza was the first to be killed.

She was strong. Too strong and he instantly knew she would be the first to raise the Rebellions to attack him. Even though that only delayed the inevitable…it was pretty effective.

Erza…

I don't know what happened to Gray. I like to think he's still alive somewhere but… We didn't even know Hades had targeted him until Gray's shout and when we turned he had fallen off the ship already…

Even the guild's gone. Wiped off the map… there was nothing I could do, they would have found me–there's only a crater left. A hole in the ground. Some houses are missing and there are still refugees fleeing the city even after all this time. Makarov is dead. And Laxus. And Mirajane, Fried, Bixlow and Levy. The ones who were injured were protected by Lisanna but even she has gone missing. Gajeel recovered… but when he found out what had happened–to the guild and most importantly Levy–he too dropped off the radar. Juvia appeared to me a few months before, saying something about mountains, Lisanna and Gajeel as new team mates and where Gildarts had gone on his mission–before she too disappeared. She is probably the only one who knows I'm still alive. Cana and Gildarts are fine, head of the rebel group and working side by side. I still don't know if Cana told Gildarts he is her father.

The council of magic and Jellal went under in less than a day. Jellal has his own cell somewhere–devastated over Erza's death.

Happy, Charle and Pantherlily are safe, I hope. Before Hades killed Erza and blasted Gray off the ship, they flew in and tried to help. I… regret to say that I used Gemini to change into Hades and use is power to scare them off. I had told them that they had to run and take Wendy. I hope they forgive me but… I think they wonder–as I do every day–if we could have stopped him if they had all stayed…

And Natsu… he told me to run. And then I too, like Gray had, fell through the skies.

He… he tried to protect me. Threw himself in front of me when Hades turned his attention to me… and he was still weak from the lightning and flame magic… And he saved me… At least that's what really happened. Rather than be erased from this world, his selfless protection and dragon slayer powers just protected us. But we were thrown backwards and I–I was suddenly flying through the skies.

And Natsu's face was all I saw as I plunged into the sea, terrified and heart broken as everything he knew and loved crumbled. The last thing I saw before the ocean swallowed me was Hades knocking Natsu unconscious.

Since then, Natsu has been made a pet for Hades. The bastard felt that it wouldn't be punishment enough for him if Hades killed him. And so he had done something no mortal could ever possibly do.

He imprisoned a dragon. Natsu has been hidden in one of Hades' land fortresses, with us unable to figure out to actually attempt a rescue attack.

And I know he broke Natsu because not once has he tried to escape. I would know if he would. I'd have felt it.

…

Maybe I was stupid in getting myself caught by Hades' army. Or maybe some part of me, some deep part that was crushed when I lost my nakama, was desperate to see him again. Three months is a long time. And despite the Rebellion's failed attempts to rescue him… I had to know… is there anything left of Natsu Dragneel?

You may be wondering why I have been keeping my death a secret…

It's because there's no one important left to tell. Some of the survivors know of course. But Natsu…

So really, it's not because I was scared and cowardly and alone–although Hades must not know I'm still alive lest he feels that the 'job must be finished' and proceeds to wipe out the nearest towns around me just as an example–it was because there was no one left to tell Natsu.

How do I know he thinks I'm dead? Because I'm on the list of the KIA. And no doubt Hades would have been rather gleeful to tell Natsu, just to add to the agony…

For three months I hid, feeding and receiving information to my surviving nakama, until I finally decided I couldn't run anymore.

I had to see him. The desire became so bad I couldn't even breathe. In those months I had trained with my keys, harder than I had ever done before.

It was time.

And if all goes to plan…

The dragon may spread his wings and fly once more.

* * *

><p>Merely hours after my capture, I was hauled through the dungeons by two soldiers. My head throbbed from a bruise made by a barrier spell. They had attached cuffs roughly to my wrists and my clothes were tore slightly. Despite the fact that this was my choice–I never planned on going down without a fight.<p>

Strangely, I over heard Hades saying to take me to _his_ cell. Which was what I wanted obviously but…

It was just too easy for me.

The heavy iron bars that served as a window did nothing to allow me to peer through to catch my first glimpse of the man I was forced to leave behind. With several jingles of keys and cutting screech of the iron bolts of the door, I was pushed through into the prison. My hands were tied behind my back so I predictably lost my balance, stumbled and fell over. I missed the jeering laughs of the jail keepers because my head struck the cool stone floor and I lost consciousness.

When I came round, the first person I saw was him.

* * *

><p>The metal bites into his skin harshly, to her a seemingly constant pain and reminder of just where he was and how everything had lead to this. His wrists were mangled beyond recognition, dried blood long caked over blisters and the cold surface of the manacles that imprisoned him. His ankles were in a better shape, but that was because they were looser so he could at least stand. All around him the floor was stained with dark red and brown. Again heavy reminders of a long term incarceration.<p>

The trademark pink hair was greasy and unkempt, pointed in every direction and a few months growth meant it hung towards his eyes and covered his ears. He looked like a wild beast, savage and brutal and the effect was only strengthened by the blood. He had long ago lost his shirt and scarf. He sat, slumped against the wall in front of her, shoulders bowed so she could see his back. And her breath was taken from her when she saw the skin. The scars from a whip that adorned his back were no means old. In fact, fresh ones crisscrossed everywhere, particularly the spine, and just healed scars were reopened and the blood from those wound mingled with the much fresher marks.

His eyes were like black coals, piercing with his gaze and burning in their lust for vengeance and hatred. But unseeing. White teeth were stained from bile and blood, his fangs seemingly elongated in his bloody mouth. And the face that held those eyes… A blank skull with sunken cheeks and skin stretched so tightly over the bones is made him look dead. Only the eyes held the passion he once held.

The muscles on his arms and legs, however, were as strong and sinewy as ever. They were not wasted by idle standing or lack of nutritious diets.

Lucy felt a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach as she remembered the reports from the early riots at the beginning of Hades tyranny.

"_If only you knew what his captors put him through at the dead of night. Think for a moment–just who exactly annihilates the rebels who try to save this land that was lost?" _In that moment… she could barely remembered who had said that.

Natsu had yet to look up, least of all _notice_ her when she was thrown in.

Suddenly she felt a million knives stab into her organs and she nearly screamed in shock as she realized that her worst nightmares had come true.

And she was seeing a broken and savage Natsu Dragneel before her.

"Natsu," She breathed when the prison door slammed shut behind her, trapping them both in the darkened room. Tears sprang to her eyes and she scrambled to her knees and crawled to him. "Natsu!" she tried again, bowing her head so she could peer into his eyes. He didn't respond. And she didn't know what else to say.

Sorry? There was really nothing to be sorry about. It may seem like she had abandoned her friend (if the nightmares were anything to go by) but she would have done what everyone had wanted. She had protected herself by staying in hiding. She was still alive at least, he would be happy about that…

The silence, no that lack of _anything_ was killing her.

"Natsu. Say something? Please? Natsu? It's me. Lucy. Or Luce… Please, say anything!" She started to sob. Three months… all the pain and suffering, the losses she had endured, the training and preparation she had to go through for this moment…

And he was completely apathetic.

Was it… was it all worth it? Was being captured… worth this?

She shook her head, almost banging it against the floor again to shake off the poisonous thoughts. No! She had to remain calm! This is for Natsu, it's he whom she was here for!

She looked up and even though tears still ran down her face, a new flame of determination had erupted. Gingerly, she reached out and touched his shoulders, shaking him ever so gently to not hurt him because god, he never looked as fragile as he did at that moment.

"Natsu, we've got to get out of here! Do you understand?" Still nothing. " Natsu! It's me! Lucy!"

And then he spoke and her whole being nearly shattered with relief.

"L-lu…cy." His voice was hoarse and raspy, like sandpaper.

"Natsu." She sobbed again, leaning closer until they were only tortuous inches apart. She could touch him now, and just that knowledge gave her bittersweet relief. Trembling fingers touched the corner of his mouth, wiping away blood and she pretended that was the only thing that needed to be wiped clean. "Can you stand? Is there a key or anything for these shackles?" She asked tearfully, glancing at the horrible contraptions.

"Lucy…" Natsu whispered again.

"Yes?" She looked up, moving her hand to touch his chin and lift it up so he could see her face. And so she could see those eyes. She almost didn't want to, they were so heart wrenching to look at, but she had to face up to this. She had to accept that this was Natsu now, no matter how broken he was, and she vowed that no matter what she would _bring him back_. She would make him smile again.

"Lucy… I was wondering when you'd show up."

Lucy jerked back a bit, frowning in confusion. It wasn't that his voice held malice, or anger. It was that… he sounded almost resigned.

"Course you did." He mumbled again and Lucy leaned forward again, brushing his matted hair from his face. "You always do when I think of you."

"Natsu, what are you talking about?" Lucy asked, starting to worry. Could he possibly…?

"I can't stop. Oh Lucy, I can't stop." Suddenly tears were starting to falling thickly on his cheeks, making wet paths on his grimy skin. His shoulders were shaking and he hiccupped once or twice. And that blank, glazed yet frighteningly dark look in his eyes seemed to be staring _through_ her, not _at_ her.

"N-Natsu? What's wrong? Please, you're scaring me." She told him fearfully. He still sobbed, trembling in her arms like a shaken leaf and she reached out again to cup his face with her hands, her own palms were shaking as she wiped away the hot tears, smudging the blood and dirt.

"I… I- I so want to stop _thinking _about you but…but if I do, I'll lose you forever."

It was as if the whole world was plunged into an icy cavern, so frozen was the surrounding around her she could hardly move.

"All I can see is your face… you're falling, always falling. Getting further and further away from me and no matter what you just wont get any closer and… \and I'm always trying to fall with you but I _can't,_ Luce, I just _can't. _Luce, why'd you fall? You… why couldn't you fly?"

After a while, when her body could move once more, she flumped back, her expression shocked and grief stricken. Closing her eyes, she tried to block all thoughts about that Natsu that sat in front of her, the Natsu that was clearly broken beyond repair. And she quietly pushed back the beginning stirs of mourning within her heart.

Because even if she did get them out of this cell, it seemed like she would never be able to free Natsu from the cruelly forged confinement within his own head.

"I loved you."

Her eyes snapped open and she was startled to see that something had changed in his face. He was no longer crying and he had twisted his head to the side to face the wall to her left. His brow was furrowed and he had an almost wistful sigh that curved his cheekbone.

"Funny. You were so weird… and it wasn't until I lost you that… You were Lucy. My Lucy. And you weren't suppose to… you were suppose to smile. Always. I failed you." A tear escape his eye. "I failed you and I had to pay for it. I swore to protect you! I swore–nothing would ever happen to you! Why–" He closed his eyes and she could see his jaw clenching. "Why did you need to be protected? Why did I always need to protect you? You were so strong, Lucy. So brave, vain, smart, temperamental and all but you burned so bright. And yet I had to always… save you. Like that time with that bastard Phantom Lord. And everything else. And I always..." Here his head tilted back, eyes opening. "…needed to…" His head turned slowly towards her, "…be with you. You were everything. You dying? Worse than Erza's. Worse than Igneel leaving."

His eyes suddenly fastened onto hers and she felt like she was being smashed against a high speed train from the realisation that he was looking_ straight _at her.

"My Lucy. My weird world."

"Y-you." She swallowed. "You would have protected anyone of us. We're your nakama-"

"No." And her breath hitched sharply because he _answered _her. "Well, I would–when one hurts we all hurt right? With you… I didn't want you to share any of your pain with our nakama. Only me. I wanted to share _all _of your burdens. Just like you did with me." He suddenly moved towards her and she leaned back anxiously, all the while painfully aware of the rattle and clink of chains, noticing every wince and flinch of pain he felt. "You're different from all the other hallucinations you know." He told her, and she felt another piece of her heart break and the blood in her ears were beating out a deafening pattern that said _this is so wrong!_

His hand touched her face. And it was colder than the edge of the manacle that tauntingly brushed her skin. "You feel so… real. So warm. Why?"

She gulped air in, trying to gather some moisture to her throat. "Because I'm real. Natsu, I'm alive! You can hear me, can you? Can you hear me, I'm alive." She shifted, catching his hands and helping him up as he meekly complied to her touch. "And I'm never going to leave you again." She added tearfully.

His head was bowed as she wrapped an arm underneath his armpits to support him, his filthy hair shadowing his wild features. She tried to ignore the general stink about him but the budding hope that was starting to bloom in her chest was intoxicating and she felt like she could breath again. As she moved to examine the shackles, making a note to find the key, Natsu spoke.

"What are you on about?" Lucy froze, heart pattering fearfully. Had he… did he still think of her as a hallucination? What had Hades _done _to him?

"Natsu, w-"

Suddenly he roughly grabbed her and with a snarl he slammed her against the harsh stone wall. "Natsu!"

"Who are you?" He roared, bringing his face close to hers and growling threateningly. And she noticed how bloodshot and _terrifying_ his eyes were. He looked absolutely deranged.

"Natsu, you're hurting me." She whimpered, his fingers digging into the flesh of her arms harshly.

"Who are you?" he repeated, pulling her towards him before slamming her into the wall again, her head smacking the wall and stars burst into her eyes, sparkling in unison with the sound of the rattling chains.

"I'm Lucy." She gasped.

"LIAR! You cant be her, she's dead! DEAD!" He howled, growling much more ferociously now as a mad glint of bloodlust tinted his black eyes. She almost screamed in fear at the transformation the eyes brought to his face. Cold, livid, mad and scorching.

She felt like she couldn't take anymore sudden twists of this emotional rollercoaster.

Natsu… He moved closer to her, searching her face with his deranged gaze, until he was practically pressed against her whole body. She could hear her keys jangle, half hoping he may recognise the sound and… No. His face was remaining blank.

Confusion, however slight, then entered her heart.

If he truly cared about her… if what he said was true… Wouldn't he be able to see reality from supposed fantasy? She could only he that he would recognise her and calm down from the evident loss of wit.

A sudden wave a guilt crashed through her, and not for this first time. But this time was so heart wrenching she felt like she too wanted to lose herself into madness.

How… all these months, how could she have just carried on without him when he was suffering so much agony?

_Why hadn't she come sooner? _

_Why was she so weak?_

She cried. Hard. Because all these emotions she was experiencing was leaving her feeling exhausted and completely worn out.

_I wanted Natsu back. And this shell of what he once was can be healed again, making my dream come true. But… how could I manage _this_ every day?_

She was on the verge of succumbing to her fear, guilt and despair, until a sudden clanking noise pierced the air as the door to the cell swung open.

And a voice she thought dead spoke.

"Errr, Is this a bad–should I leave?" Her head snapped to the door and there, standing with a look of shock turning into sheepish embarrassment, was Gray Fullbuster.

"Wha- GRAY?" She yelled out in shock.

"Go away, Ice Freak, I'm busy." Natsu snapped, glancing over at the newly resurrected Ice mage. Gray raised an eyebrow with an unreadable expression, before Lucy took Natsu's distraction as a chance and escaped his hold, overwhelming feelings of joy and happiness making her smile again when she thought she couldn't anymore. Although she had to pretend that she didn't feel a sting of resentment that Natsu actually remembered Gray instead of her, even though he had said he loved her.

Love… She would think about that later, right now she was just so… so _relieved_ and happy that Gray was alive and breathing right in front of her. She ran towards him with her wide smile and threw herself at him, her arms encircling his neck and she crushed him in a chokehold. She buried her face into his shoulder and almost sobbed again.

"Lucy… you're choking me." Gray gasped. But he wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing her just as tightly.

"I thought you were dead." She said. As if that explained everything.

"Same here. But when I heard that you had been taken to Natsu's cell- I couldn't believe–"

Gray was cut off by a disgruntled Natsu who had returned to his place before Lucy had entered it.

"So this is this your new girlfriend now, Gray? Where'd you pick her up?. I thought that would be one of your tricks, getting a girl to look like Lucy so you can get me out of here. Pah- you bastard. I was too clever for that!" Lucy released Gray, gazing at him for a moment, as if to make sure he was really alive, before turning to Natsu and approaching him cautiously.

"Natsu… he doesn't remember me." She told Gray and why oh _why_ can't she say it without wanting to cry _again_? She was going to burst any minute know from all this stress! What if she got stress lines on her smooth forehead?

"Yeah." Gray sighed, watching both Lucy and Natsu to judge their reactions. "There are days when he gets like that with me too." Lucy shot him a look before kneeling on the ground again, mindful of the distance between her and the dragon slayer.

"What are you doing here?" She asked suddenly. Gray grimaced when her eyes met his again.

"Long story. Short version is, I'm here to rescue you both. Now come on, we need to get out of here. Now!" He strode towards them and stood over Natsu, both hands coming together to form an ice lance. "Stand back." He warned Lucy and with that he plunged the sharp tip into one of the chains. It broke instantly and both Lucy and Gray were able to drag him from the wall easily, Natsu's sudden strength from earlier seemed to have sapped him of energy completely. When was he last fed? Gray then grabbed Natsu's arm and pulled it around his shoulders, starting to half carry, half drag him towards the door.

Suddenly Natsu started to struggle, the wild look from earlier glinting in his eyes once more.

"Get your hands off me bastard!" he growled as Gray struggled to keep his hold on him.

"Natsu it's alright! It's me and Gray! Were going to get you out of here." But Natsu ignored her yet again and rounded on Gray, his fisted hands flying at him in a deadly punch. Lucy gasped, expecting to see flames burst from Natsu's fist. But they never came and Gray easily deflected the blow and grabbed Natsu's wrist, twisting his extended arm around in a tight hold, Natsu fingers barely brushing the back of his neck.

"Where were you?" Natsu snarled at Gray and Lucy got the impression that Natsu's sudden and seemingly random statement was from a personal conversation that had already been discussed between the two mages. Gray, after all. didn't look shocked at the accusation. "Why didn't you protect her?"

Lucy blinked, then felt like crying again as she realized just who 'her' was exactly.

Gray however, wasn't feeling so emotional. "Don't blame me for your shit!" He spat, whirling him around and punching Natsu hard in the gut before he could defend himself and knocking him unconscious. "Just a little pay back, bastard." Gray sighed, hoisting Natsu's arm over his shoulder again.

Lucy on the other hand was aghast and angry.

"Gray that was too harsh! He's not in his right mind, why did you–!"

"Don't defend him! He knows exactly what he's saying, he just wants someone to blame in all this mess. Just because he can't figure out whether we're real or not does not mean he's in anyway stupid."

Lucy fell silent, glaring at the floor. Gray simply sighed at her expression.

"You've no idea what he's been going through Lucy. But I do. I thought you were dead too." Lucy blinked in shock and widened her eyes at him. Did he…? Gray… did he know about her and Natsu?

Gray turned away to Natsu, his face hidden. "Now give me a hand, he's too heavy for me." Lucy jumped and moved quickly, noticing for the first time that Gray was wearing one of Hades's army's rather heavy looking armour. _So that's how he got in._ Lucy thought, slightly surprised that Gray hadn't stripped it before now.

"Wait–Why are we in such a hurry?" She asked frantically, supporting Natsu's other arm as they hobbled past the door.

"Because, Lucy." He replied, turning his head to her to smirk "I have a bomb attached to the lower basements. Any second now the freaking alarm is about to go off and all those idiot Hades troops will be swarming the place in…" he checked his watch. "about less than a minute."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you messed up the timing." Lucy fumed angrily as the whole car bounced and juddered as the wheels hit another stone from the road.<p>

"We still got out in time." Gray pointed out. Natsu was still asleep, sprawled out on the cushions of the back of their stolen car.

"Barely!" Lucy snapped. No sooner than Gray had announced their limited time schedule, they had raced through the corridors like bats out of hell even with the added burden of the unconscious dragon slayer. They didn't meet any soldiers and just about threw themselves into a hatch used for dirty laundry (the army and the servants was surprisingly well dressed and clean for a tyrannical empire) before the whole place shook and trembled as the bomb exploded, the noise loud enough to pop their eardrums.

They remained silent for a moment before Lucy decided to ask the thing that had been bugging her.

"So how long were you at Hades's Fortress?"

"A month. Took another to heal from my injuries after I fell of that ship, landed in the sea and swam to a small alcove under the island. Spent several weeks tracking him down and infiltrating the forces." A sneer worked its way onto his face. "The state he was in… He was worse before, believe me. Took two weeks for him to figure out who I was. Then you came along. Must have set him off again."

"I didn't ask about Natsu." Lucy said quickly, not wanting to hear how bad Natsu really was. She needed some sort of hope.

"You were going to." Gray gave her a pointed look. She bristled underneath his gaze but relented. "I've seen you two coming since day one. The whole guild has–had." he added quickly. "…God I can never get used to that."

"Me neither." Lucy admitted sadly. Gray remained silent until he spotted something ahead that made him change gear and slow down to turn a corner.

"We're here." he announced, glancing at the set of instructions that Lucy had been carrying around with her since she first found Juvia. A weird expression had crossed his face when she told him that Juvia was alive. He too had seen the KIA list, just wasn't up to date with those presumed 'missing'. Lucy liked to think Gray was glad he at least had someone to looked forward to seeing again. Lucy had been a stroke of luck.

The safe house was small, hidden in the country side. It was one of many the Rebellion had set up, each place secure and nondescript with it's thick walls, deep basements and installed iron plates that could slide down over the doors and windows if they were under attack. It was well stocked with food, clothes and other necessities. And with each safe house, it had a small garden- full of graves that held their fallen nakama. This specific place had Erza's. Gray had also planned to send a message to Happy, the cat would be overjoyed to hear that Natsu was free. And Lucy was delighted because that meant she would be able to have the original team Natsu together again.

That is- that's what she thought until they carried Natsu into the house and set him down onto a sofa in the living room.

"You know that once I go back, you'll be joining the Rebellion with me and Happy, right?" Lucy wondered if she could ever properly breath again with the amount of harsh blows her lungs had been given in just one day.

"I'm not joining." She told him, looking up from Natsu's face. He had seemed so peaceful and sane while asleep. Innocent… and her Natsu again.

"What? Lucy we need you! We need all the help we can get!" Gray said angrily, rounding on her. She glared back defiantly, legs akimbo and arms folded.

"I can't leave Natsu, Gray! He is my nakama. And he needs us. I can't leave him when he needs us more than ever." She told him, thinking she sounded like she was begging, but she held firm with her stance. Gray snorted, jaw clenching. He needed her to fight, not take care of someone who was snapped. It may be cruel for him to think that of one of his closest friends, but they were at war. Love had to come second and Lucy had to realize that, rather than put her hopes and efforts into helping Natsu.

"Are you sure he needs you? Because really, all I can see it that you need him more."

"Yes! What's wrong with that?" She shouted, both unaware that Natsu was awakening. But the fire mage didn't make a sound and just watched them, taking in his new surroundings. "You should understand Gray! It was hell for me–for him to look at me and not see me, for him to not hear me even after I pleaded and begged! I was_ invisible_ and I was in agony. When I saw you, I was about to give up on him. But not now–not when you've come back to life when I had given up hope on you. So yes. I need him. I need him more than air. I need him to smile and be his usual… stupid self." Her breathed hitched as a new wave of emotion almost crippled her already weak heart.

Gray stared at her for a while, eyes tight with annoyance at her stubbornness. But he secretly admired her courage.

"So you're going to really do this?" He asked again. It was unnecessary to ask, the fire that burned in her eyes was enough of an answer. But she said it anyway.

"Yes."

"Well count me out." He frowned at her "You can stay here, play nurse to a mental and hide away from Hades and his army, like a coward. But I'm not." he turned and grabbed his jacket that he had tossed to the floor when they had argued. He had gotten rid of the armour ages ago. "It was good to see you again Lucy. Really–I've never been happier. I'm just sorry that you or Natsu wont be able to have a good enough happy ending when Hades finds you." With that he strode away, leaving the couple in the living room. He was just about to step onto the beaten track that lead to the picket fence when Lucy's voice shouted at him.

"Gray!" He turned and was confronted by a panting Lucy at the door, a hand clutching the door frame. "I'm sorry. But I don't think we're ever going to win against Hades. Maybe not today. Maybe we can't save the world now." Gray frowned and opened his mouth to ask what she was on about but she cut him off. "We've lost Natsu. And most of the strongest mages has been killed but... I believe that our generation... we may not be able to save Fiore now." She repeated rather half heartedly, her gaze turned to the setting sun, her face sad but calculating. "But I think that, even if we die, Fairy Tail won't. And one day, our children or our grandchildren will defeat Hades. The end has come. But we _will_ win in this new world. This war is not over. We will run but we can't be silenced. We will not let the years to come waste. The end for Hades is only beginning." She looked back at him determinedly and Gray was struck by how old she seemed. "Fairy Tail will rise once more."

She had changed, Gray realized, matured in the worst possible environment that had cursed her with an air of loss and experience. He felt sorrow that she had grown out of her violent fits of temper, her insecure neediness and constant need for attention. But this Lucy... she was now a young woman whom Gray was still proud to call friend, who was resigning herself over to take care of a broken man for the rest of her life.

And god strike him down if he didn't visit them more than once a day now. These two would be the rock, the place to call home if things went downhill in the war.

He turned over Lucy's confession in his mind and something strange started to stir within. He gaze into Lucy's eyes again and suddenly he understood just why his heart had been having fluttering beats within his chest at the sight of her, alive and together with Natsu.

The feeling he had... was hope. Hope for a better future. And new life.

If he knew Lucy, and god he definitely knew Natsu's determination, then he knew they'd get Natsu back. Maybe not today. Maybe not in several years. But Lucy was the light and Natsu was the sun whose possible future role in the Rebellion–however small or persuasive he could be to change her mind–would take hold of the shattered ones that lived through Hades iron fist everyday and save them. If they were to be separated for a time in this fight, they would find each other again, for their love would conquer all. Her finding him after all these months was proof of that.

Distance. Madness. Tyranny–it all was inconsequential when these two had the world on their shoulders and each other's backs to protect and hearts to give.

Gray smirked. He could get used to this hope stuff. Maybe… it was time he joined Juvia, Gajeel and Lisanna in their search for the dragons. It may be a stupid and ludicrous idea… but if Lucy was right, then the dragons would help speed up the process of usurping Hades. He didn't know about her but he actually wanted to be alive for when Hades neck left his body.

He turned around, throwing his hand up in a farewell as he walked down the foot path.

"I'll come back soon Lucy." he promised. But when he reached the gate he stopped and turned back, seeing her staring after him with a sad frown. He grinned again before suddenly jabbing a finger in her direction, making his point very clear. "I claim godfather! If we are to have the next generation save this shitty world then you and Flame Breath better get started on fixing him before getting down to it!"

Lucy stared at him, completely flabbergasted. Then her entire face turned beetroot red and she screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, YOU PERVERT!" She even stamped her foot on the ground. Just like old times.

And Gray laughed. Threw back his head and howled like a hyena, like he hadn't done in a long time. And it brought a huge release to his chest, a weight he knew he held was lifted exponentially.

Hope sang to the heavens.

And he knew that Natsu would be in good hands and would have a speedy recovery, now that some part of the old Lucy had surged to the surface.

Someday, they'd return to the place where they belonged.

Return to Fairy Tail.

Lucy closed the door with a sigh, cheeks still burning red. She turned and came face to face with Natsu.

"Natsu! You should be in bed asleep." He stared at her, his face an unreadable mask. Then before she could move he reached out and brushed his fingers along the length of her cheekbone. She instinctively leaned into the touch but gasped when his palm meet her cheek and his thumb continued to explore her skin. His dark eyes smouldered into hers. And it was still as unreadable and blank as ever.

"You're warm." he whispered. She was struck dumb for several seconds. Then she let out a breath and moved towards him, resting her head on his collarbone, trying to blink away tears. His hands hesitantly touched her back and with the lightest of pressure pulled her towards him.

And she sighed, a sigh that was so heavy with a million emotions, it echoed through the small shack, their quiet sanctuary.

Because yesterday she was all but dead to him.

Tomorrow could rip them apart from each other and leave them bleeding with no chance of recovery.

And so, the world fell into their sunlight as they stayed in each other's arms.

And hope was all these shattered ones had.


End file.
